Carbon particles coated with polymer films, methods for their production and uses thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a composition comprising plasma coated fullerenic soot particles, methods for the preparation thereof, and its use in polymer blends.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A composition comprising:
 carbon particles of fullerenic soot, wherein the carbon particles of fullerenic soot have a layer comprising a plasma polymer formed by polymerization using a plasma process on the surface of the carbon particles, 
 wherein the fullerenic soot further comprises carbon containing residue from fullerene production or carbon nanostructure production. 
 
     
     
       2. The composition according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the thickness of the layer of plasma polymer on said carbon particles is in the range of 3-9 nm. 
     
     
       3. The composition according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the layer of plasma polymer represents 1.0-30% of the mass of the carbon particles. 
     
     
       4. The composition according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the layer of plasma polymer represents 1.5-20% of the mass of the carbon particles. 
     
     
       5. The composition according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the layer of plasma polymer represents 1.5-8.0% of the mass of the carbon particles. 
     
     
       6. The composition according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the layer of plasma polymer represents less than 20% of the mass of the carbon particles. 
     
     
       7. The composition according to  claim 1 , characterized in that surface energy of the carbon particles is less than 65.0 mJ/m 2 . 
     
     
       8. The composition according to  claim 1 , characterized in that surface energy of the carbon particles is less than 60.0 mJ/m 2 . 
     
     
       9. The composition according to  claim 1 , characterized in that surface energy of the carbon particles is less than 57.0 mJ/m 2 . 
     
     
       10. The composition according to  claim 1 , characterized in that electrical resistivity of said composition is higher than 0.4 Ohm·cm. 
     
     
       11. The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the carbon particles are fullerene soot particles produced by high temperature plasma using graphite or other carbon allotropes as precursors. 
     
     
       12. The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the carbon particles are fullerene soot particles produced by radio frequency (RF) plasma using carbon black, graphite, or other carbon allotropes as precursors. 
     
     
       13. The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the carbon particles are fullerene soot particles produced by a combustion process, an arc process, or by laser ablation. 
     
     
       14. The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the plasma polymer comprises a polymerized hydrocarbon monomer. 
     
     
       15. The composition according to  claim 14 , wherein the plasma polymer comprises at least one carbon-carbon double bond. 
     
     
       16. The composition according to  claim 15 , wherein the plasma polymer comprises monomers of acetylene. 
     
     
       17. The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said layer of plasma polymer is prepared by a process of plasma polymerization of the monomer on the surface of the carbon particle. 
     
     
       18. A blend comprising a composition according to  claim 1  and one or more polymers. 
     
     
       19. The blend according to  claim 18 , wherein the polymer is a natural or synthetic elastomer. 
     
     
       20. The blend according to  claim 19 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, styrene-butadiene-rubber, acrylonitrile-butadiene-rubber, or ethylene-propylene-diene rubber. 
     
     
       21. The blend according to  claim 18 , characterized in that ultimate resistivity is within a range between 10 3  and 10 13  Ohm·cm. 
     
     
       22. The blend according to  claim 18 , wherein the fullerenic soot comprising the plasma polymer layer is used to compatibilize polymers with low affinity to each other and different affinity to the carbon filler. 
     
     
       23. A tire comprising the blend according to  claim 18 .